Fortune Favours the Smoking Coffee Drinker

Sunday was an interesting day for the ratings. Excusez Moi (jt 2nd top) was the subject of a gamble from 11/1 down to 13/2 and obliged just on the line: Saga De Tercey (clear top rated) was backed into long odds on and also only just got up on the line: it was touch and go whether joint 2nd top Titus Andronicus (9/1) would run after ditching Neil Callan and being walked down to the start. But after the vet gave the all clear, he never looked likely to lose: and Stormhoek was apparently the outsider of Alan King's three runners in Towcester's bumper, but I had him joint 2nd top with his favoured horse and he duly beat that horse to win at 20/1. Seems luck was on my side.

There were just four (4) and (5) graded races, Sunday. Two were won by the clear top rated and one by the clear 2nd top rated. The unsuccessful one was won by the 3rd top (Masterofceremonies) who was slowly away and looked very reluctant to run. But once he became aware he was in a race, he showed amazing speed for a selling plater to win fairly easily. The clear top and 2nd top horses were eventually 2nd and 3rd at respectable distances behind the remarkable winner.

It's been a long day and I am hoping to get some better sleep than I've been getting recently. If I stopped smoking and refrained from drinking coffee heavily most of the day, I might actually get the yearned for restful sleep. But willpower is not my strong point in those two cases.

Whatever, I am looking forward to this week on the Flat. Classic trials come thick and fast at Newmarket and Newbury. The Flat has landed - at last....